This centennial commemorative issue of
four postage stamps honoured the transfer in 1851 of the administration of
postal service from Great Britain
to British North America. The three low
denominations emphasize the development of communications by land, water, and
air, a feature of Canadian history closely related to the development of postal
service. The fourth stamp in the series features the first postage stamp issued
in 1851 by the Province
of Canada. The first day
of issue coincided with the stamp exhibition called CAPEX (Canadian Association
for Philatelic Exhibitions). The Postmaster General, the Hon. G. Edouard
Rinfret, K.C., M.P., was the Honorary President. The central motif of the
15-cent stamp is a reproduction of the 1851 three- pence beaver design stamp
designed by Sandford Fleming (See below). This was the first 15-cent
denomination since 1908. In
1951 the Department anticipated that the 15-cent denomination would be
convenient to prepay postage on airmail letters to the United Kingdom, Ireland,
and Europe. The colour approximated the red of
the original 1851 three-pence stamp.

The first postage stamp issue of the Province of Canada featured the beaver on the
3-pence, H.R.H. Albert, the Prince Consort on the 6-pence denomination, and Her
Majesty Queen Victoria on the 12-pence. These stamps were produced on laid
paper without perforations. Rawdon, Wright, Hatch and Edison, the New York security
printers, received the contract to print Canadian postage stamps, producing all
the requirements until 1st May, 1858. On that day the company name changed,
following amalgamation, to the American Bank Note Company with headquarters
remaining in New York City.
The new firm continued the former printing contract until Canadian
Confederation in 1867. Sandford Fleming, a young civil engineer and
draughtsman, designed the 3-pence stamp under the direction of the Honourable
James Morris, Postmaster General. He also prepared the artwork with a similar
beaver motif for a 1-shilling denomination which never appeared as a finished
postage stamp. Sandford Fleming's most important work concerned railway
construction in Canada, and
for his work Queen Victoria
knighted him. He became chief engineer for the Intercolonial Railway (1857-76),
and for the Canadian Pacific Railway (1871-80). In 1872 he was in charge of the
Ocean-to-Ocean Expedition undertaken to find a route for the Canadian Pacific
through the YellowheadPass. During these years
he devised the system of time zones. From 1881 until his death in 1915 he
served as Chancellor of Queen's University at Kingston. The 3-pence denomination featuring a
beaver building a dam was symbolic of the people in the young country of Canada building
their towns, cities, and communities. The secondary purpose of choosing the
beaver centred in the original meaning of the beaver skin; it represented a
medium of exchange in trade.

From its first settlement as an outpost
of the Hudson's Bay Company, strategically
located on the south eastern tip of "Vancouver's
Island", Victoria has grown into a
thriving center of charm and distinction that is probably unique in North America. This year marks Victoria's Centenary as an incorporated
city. It was James Douglas, a chief factor of the Hudson's
Bay Company, who selected the location for FortVictoria
which was named in honour of the girl queen who ascended the Throne of England
in 1837. The isolated post had to be self supporting and the arable land
surrounding the new port provided excellent crops. It was ideally located in a
favourable trading district, accessible to the North Pacific mainland. The life
of the outpost centered about the operation of the Hudson's
Bay post until 1849 when Vancouver's Island was made a crown colony and declared open for
colonization. Sparked by the Fraser River Gold Rush of 1858, the trading post
exploded almost, overnight into a lively frontier town. Since it was the only
seaport in British Columbia,
it became the outfitting center for the miners and adventurers seeking the
wealth of the goldfields. No sooner had the excitement of the first gold rush
subsided than the Cariboo Rush broke, followed by the Klondike
gold stampede of 1898. With such limpetus, its growth was rapid and the
community was incorporated as the City of Victoria
in 1862, just 100 years ago. Today, Victoria is justly proud of the largest
dry-dock in Canada, the largest astrophysical telescope in the nation, the
largest per capita tourist trade in Canada and the mildest winter climate of
any Canadian city. Each year, thousands of tourists throng its streets and find
in the restful, unhurried atmosphere the ideal spot for relaxation. Of great
interest in Victoria
is the solid background of British customs and institutions which have survived
more vigourously than in any other Canadian city. Victoria has kept as its basic charm the
beauty and dignity of ivied walls, picturesque gardens and imposing Tudor or
colonial homes. The new stamp is designed to commemorate the development of the
city from its lusty frontier days to its modern role as provincial capital. The
new issue follows precedents set in 1908 and in 1949 when stamps honouring the
300th Anniversary of Quebec and the 200th Anniversary of Halifax were produced.

Canada Post Office
Department. [Postage Stamp Press Release], 1962.

British
Columbia and Vancouver
Island stamp

The United Colonies of Vancouver Island
and British Columbia, in 1860, issued a
postage stamp inscribed with the names of both British
Columbia and Vancouver Island.
This unusual step was taken for reasons of economy, both colonies having
sufficient customers to justify the printing of stamps, but not enough to
justify separate issues for each colony.

The one stamp was denominated 2 1/2
pence, depicted Queen Victoria
in profile, and was surface-printed in a brownish-rose color by De La Rue.
235,440 were printed.

In 1862, Vancouver
Island switched to decimal currency, and sold these stamps for 5
cents. It first issued its own 5- and 10-cent stamps in September 1865.

In June 1864, British Columbia increased its postal rate
to 3 pence, selling these stamps for 3d until its own stamps became available
in November 1865. Pairs of stamps, used to pay a special rate to Vancouver Island, were also sold at 15 cents per pair.
Although after 1865, the 2 1/2d stamp was officially invalid, in 1867 some were
made available at a 6 1/4 cent rate to express mail operators.

The upshot of all this was the single
type of stamp was sold for 2 1/2d, 3d, 5c, 6 1/4c, and 7 1/2c without ever
receiving a surcharge indicating a changed value.

The surviving stamps sell for about
US$250 as of 2003, but much more if they are in good condition and
well-centered.

The Canadian International Philatelic
Exhibition, CAPEX 78, will be held at the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds
in Toronto from
June 9 to 18, 1978. This is the nation's second international stamp exhibition,
the first having been held in 1951. CAPEX 78 will commemorate the centennial of
Canada's
entry into the Universal Postal Union. Sponsored by the Royal Philatelic
Society of Canada, under the patronage of the Fיdיration Internationale de Philatיlie and under the auspices of the Federacion
Interamericana de Filatelia, the show will be the largest and most important in
Canadian postal history. To herald this important congress of philatelists and
collectors, the Post Office has chosen to issue a stamp-on-stamp design
featuring a pair of one of Canada's
classic stamps: the12-penny Queen Victoria
of 1851. The Queen Victoria classics, from fine examples now owned by the NationalPostalMuseum, Ottawa, have been engraved by Robert Couture.
The intaglio is printed in the original colour (black) over a light background.
Design is by Carl Brett of Toronto.

Canada. Post Office Department. [Postage Stamp Press
Release], 1978.

Scott: #909-13P

Issued: 11.3.1982 / 20.5.1982

CANADA
'82

Inside
#909: Canada #1O

Inside #910: Canada #102O

In the summer of 1908 Canadians honoured
the three hundredth anniversary of the founding of Quebec in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, the
French explorer and colonizer. In March, 1908 the government proposed to issue
a series of postage stamps to commemorate the occasion. In view of the marked
departure from the precedent in subject matter for the proposed stamp designs,
the Department sought the permission of King Edward VII to use portraits of
non-royal persons and historical subjects on stamps of permanent validity. His
Majesty consented, and the stamp were released on [16th] July, 1908 for sale to
the public throughout the Dominion [before] the Prince of Wales (later King
George V) reached Quיbec. "Partement pour l'ouest"
- Champlain's departure for the West. This stamps was designed by an artist of
the American Bank Note Company. The scene depicted is that described by
Champlain in the following words, taken from the narrative of his third voyage
to America:
"With our canoes laden with provisions, our arms and some merchandise to
be given as presents to the Indians, I started on Monday, May 27th, from the
Isle of Sainte Helaine, accompanied by four Frenchmen and one Indian. A salute
was given in my honour from small pieces of artillery." The archaic French
note is introduced in the word "partement," used by Champlain in
place of the modern "dיpart."

This issue of stamps in higher values continues
to depict scenes of Canadian interest from coast to coast. A Royal Canadian
Mounted Police constable on horseback with a prairie background. The force,
organized in 1873, has built a tradition of service, courage, and integrity.
First known as the North West Mounted Police, the men confined their duties to
the Northwest Territories.
The term Royal was prefixed to the title in 1904, and in 1920 the name was
changed to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Commencing with the issue of 1928, the
Post Office Department for the first time utilized its higher value stamps with
regular issue for the purpose of depicting Canadian scenes of geographical and
industrial interest from coast to coast. This was a significant event in the
development of Canadian postage stamps as a medium of information about Canada. The
first stamps released under this new policy showed wide diversity of subjects.
They ranged from the internationally famous fishing schooner Bluenose, on the AtlanticCoast,
to scenic MountHurd
in British Columbia.
The scheme met with instant public approval. The Department has continued
scenic stamps in each regular issue since 1928. With a few exceptions of
commemorative issues prior to 1928, Canadian postage stamps portrayed the royal
family.

Canada
#155

A vignette, "The Ice-crowned
Monarch of the Rockies," from an original watercolour painting by
Frederick Marlett Bell-Smith, R.C.A., by kind permission of R.D. Hume, Q.C., of
Toronto. The painting shows MountHurd, (named after Major Hurd, the engineer and
explorer), in the OttertailRange of the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia, and in a panel at each
side of the stamp is a totem pole. This design depicts the natural beauty of Canada and its
interesting folklore. The totem poles are reproductions from a Canadian
government photograph of one owned by the Gitksan tribe, a people of the SkeenaRiver.
The pole is located in the Upper Skeena valley
at a small place called Kitwanga, an Indian name meaning Place of the Rabbit.
The Indian name of the totem pole is Spesanish, meaning Half-Bear Den. The pole
stands nineteen feet in height.

Canada
#158

The Canadian fishing schooner, Bluenose,
racing off HalifaxHarbour, a composite picture made from photographs
taken in 1922 by W. R. MacAskill, of Halifax,
Nova Scotia. The schooner was
built in 1920-21, at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, by Messrs. Smith and Rhuland, to the designs
of W. J. Rouי, of Halifax,
and launched in March, 1921. Essentially a practical fishing boat, the schooner
was also designed to uphold the Bluenose racing supremacy on the Atlantic
seaboard. That she achieved her promoters' ambition is proved by the fact that
she decisively defeated every competitor of her class. She never lost a series
of races. The owners of the Bluenose were honoured in 1935 by having their
schooner present when King George V reviewed the British Fleet at Spithead. In
selecting this design, the Department gave world-wide publicity to three important
phases of Nova Scotian life and industry: fisheries, ship- building, and
seamanship.

It was a momentous time in postal
history; one hundred years ago, imperial penny postage was introduced, allowing
Canadians to send letters anywhere in the British Empire at the rate of one
British penny - just two cents Canadian! It was a huge triumph for Canada,
Postmaster General Sir William Mulock played a pivotal role in negotiating this
change from the previous levy of five Canadian cents. The penny-postage stamp
is one of the most revered by collectors. It was the world's first Christmas
issue. The stamp featured a collage of Queen Victoria's crown, a map of the
world with the British Empire displayed in red, "Xmas 1898" and the
phrase, "We hold a vaster empire than has been". Produced in three
colours and by two different processes by the American Bank Note Company of
Ottawa, it was the most expensive issue in Canadian philatelic history to that
date. Recognizing the significance of the stamp for collectors, Canada Post
will issue a single domestic-rate stamp. Queen Victoria's crown, a portrait of
Postmaster General Sir William Mulock, and a reproduction of the original stamp
are together depicted against a dark backdrop with "Canada" boldly
displayed. Designed by Franחois
Dallaire of Montreal, this commemorative stamp will be released May 29 in Hamilton, Ontario. For
collectors who may only have dreamed of having an authentic penny stamp in
their private collections, this new issue may be an affordable consolation.

British statesmen had sought postal
reforms almost from the time of Sir Rowland Hill's introduction of adhesive
stamps in 1840. In
1885, Mr. James Henniker-Heaton, M.P., brought up the question of Imperial
penny postage for practical consideration by introducing a motion in the
British House of Commons. In 1890 the Jubilee of Penny Postage in Great Britain
stimulated public interest in the proposal. In July, 1898, an Imperial
Conference on postage rates was held in London. On the proposal of the Canadian
representative, Hon. William Mulock, Postmaster General of Canada (later Sir
William Mulock), the scheme was adopted for Great Britain, Canada,
Newfoundland, Cape Colony, and Natal. The delegates of the Imperial Conference
left the opportunity open to other regions within the British Empire to take
part in the Penny Postage providing Her Majesty's Government approved the
action. At first a proposal suggested fixing a uniform rate for the whole of
the British Empire, but no rate acceptable to all the governments concerned
could be settled upon. As chief Canadian proponent of the actual adoption of
Imperial Penny Postage, the Canadian Postmaster General decided to stimulate
interest in the event by issuing a special postage stamp covering the new rate
and emphasizing the vast extent of the British Empire. Mr. Mulock decided to
use a map on the stamps. The actual drawing for this design, was made in the
presence of Mr. Mulock by Mr. Warren L. Green, President of the American Bank
Note Company Limited in Ottawa. In October 1898, Mr. Green called at Mr.
Mulock's office and a memorandum in his handwriting still existing in the files
of the Canadian Bank Note Company, reads as follows: "This is a rough idea
for the new stamp. Mr. Mulock had a number of designs for this and naturally a
great many conflicting ideas. The only way I could get anything definite was to
sit right down with a pencil and a brush and work right alongside of him until
he got something that approached his idea." The stamp was not meant to be
a limited issue; it was intended to supplement the regular stamps for
prepayment principally, of overseas British correspondence, although the stamps
were available for any other postal use. Map of the world in Mercator's
Projection, showing various parts of the British Empire in red. The stamp bore
the inscription "Xmas 1898" and across the base of the design the
text reads: "WE HOLD A VASTER EMPIRE THAN HAS BEEN." On the occasion
of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Sir William Morris, a Welsh poet, wrote
"A Song of Empire", published as the Jubilee Ode in June, 1897. The
line occurs in the following stanza: "We hold a vaster Empire than has
been! Nigh half the race of man is subject to our Queen! Nigh half the wide,
wide earth is ours in fee! And where her rule comes all are free. And therefore
'tis, O Queen, that we, Knit fast in bonds of temperate liberty, Rejoice to-day,
and make our solemn Jubilee."

From a very young age, William James Rouי amused himself by
sailing bits of wood and shingles in gutters and drawing pictures of yachts -
childhood hobbies which foreshadowed a career that would bring him national
fame. That young boy went on to design the most renowned fishing craft in
Canadian history: the Bluenose. Weighing in at 154 tons, the schooner was
launched at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, over 75 years ago. The vessel was
commissioned by Nova Scotians in the hopes of redeeming Canada's loss to the
U.S. in the 1920 International Fisherman's Race. The Maritimers were determined
to win the trophy for Canada in the 1921 contest. To meet the challenge, they
needed to build a salt banker with the speed of a fresh fisherman vessel, and
the province insisted that the design come from home. Though his experience was
that of a yacht designer, Rouי, a self-taught naval
architect, conceived and realized a remarkable design. In 1921, Canada won the
International Fisherman's Race, and Rouי was rewarded with a gold
watch and commemorative scroll. Now, in commemoration of its own, Canada Post
is releasing the William Rouי domestic-rate stamp designed
by Louis Hיbert of Montreal. As a child, little did
he know than that he would become the greatest designer of wooden vessels in Canadian
history, and one of the most talented in the world. As an adolescent, Rouי progressed to
making and sailing 1.5-metre model boats and, once he was old enough, learned
to crew at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron (RNSYS). He spent winter months
in the library of the Yacht Squadron devouring volumes on boat design. He
enrolled in classes in mechanical drafting at the Victoria College of Art and
Design, now the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. Rouי was frequently
called upon to design yachts for fellow members of the Squadron while he worked
in the family soft-drink business. In his lifetime, Rouי created more than
100 designs for commercial vessels, including two fleets of freighters for
Newfoundland and the Arctic and a number of ferries. Rouי passed away in
1970 at the age of 90. Canada's most celebrated vessel was named for Nova
Scotians, called "Bluenosers", a name some believe was given to the
crewmen of schooners that carried blue-skinned Nova Scotia potatoes to Boston
in the late eighteenth century. Built by Smith and Rhuland and commanded by
Captain Angus J. Walters, the Bluenose sailed to victory in the Halifax Herald
International Fisherman's competition in 1921, 1922, 1923, 1931 and 1938, and
held the record for the largest catch of fish ever brought into Lunenburg. It
was sold in 1942 to a West Indian trading company. Four years later, the ship
was wrecked off Haiti. An exact replica, named the Bluenose II was launched in
1963. More than a decade later, the owners turned it over to the Province of
Nova Scotia and it became a seaborne ambassador. To this day, it continues to
sail the North Atlantic. Over the past decades, the Bluenose has been features
on three stamps: a 1929 50-cent issue, a 1982 60-cent stamp that commemorated
the International Philatelic Youth Exhibition, and a 1988 37-cent issue that
celebrated Bluenose skipper Angus Walters. The 1929 Bluenose stamp is the most
famous of Canadian stamps, recognized around the world.

Canada's early history is essentially
the history of the fur trade. Motivated by a quest for beaver pelts, European
fur traders pressed westward from New France and Hudson Bay; opening the
northwest of present-day Canada. Our first postage stamp honoured this coveted
creature, and on April 6, 2001, the Three Pence Beaver appears as a
stamp-on-stamp commemorating the 150th anniversary of the transfer of Postal authority
from Britain to Canada. At lengths of up to 1.3 m weights of up to 32 kg, the beaver is the
largest rodent in North America. A remarkable builder, it constructs dams to
increase underwater habitats in winter; canals to transport food; and lodges to
keep predators away. In light of its role in Canadian history, the beaver
became the symbol of Canada's sovereignty in 1975. During the French regime in
Canada, no organized postal service existed for the general population.
Government courier carried private letters, but recipients were required to pay
upon delivery. In 1755, Deputy Postmaster General Benjamin Franklin opened
Canada's first official post office in Halifax, Nova Scotia. By the 1780s, mail
service difficulties arose and a deputy postmaster general was appointed for
Canada but the post office remained under Imperial management. Representatives
from the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick met to discuss the
postal system in 1847, reaching an agreement that was approved by the Imperial
Parliament in 1849. Post office control passed to the Province of Canada by
proclamation on April 5, 1851, with Canadian administration commencing on April
6th. The original Three Pence Beaver was based on a sketch by Sir Sandford
Fleming. While featuring a beaver on Canada's first postage stamp seems natural
and apt, it was a significant departure from contemporary designs which
featured the reigning monarch, a statesman, geometric design, or coat-of-arms.
As postal historian Thomas A. Hillman notes, the Three Pence Beaver is one of
the world's earliest examples of a pictorial stamp, and until 1939, the only
one featuring a rodent. Designed by Tom Yokobina of Montrיal, the 2001 Three Pence Beaver stamp-on-stamp
presents our earliest stamp in a modern setting. A complete dye proof of the
original stamp, photographed with kind permission from the Ron Brigham
Collection, was superimposed over a background of drop shadows and computer
rendered dot patterns. Yakobina's use of modern and classical type faces
further emphasizes the duality of past and present.

What started as a local grassroots
organization dedicated to improving the working conditions of postmasters in
rural Manitoba has grown to become a national organization that is now the
second-largest bargaining unit representing employees of Canada Post
Corporation. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Postmasters
and Assistants Association, Canada Post will issue a single domestic rate stamp,
which will be available in a pane of 16. The Canadian Postmasters and
Assistants Association (CPAA) was founded in 1902 in Stonewall,
Manitoba. Stonewall's first post office was opened on August 1st, 1878, with
Ira Stratton becoming postmaster in 1897. Stratton, who served as postmaster
until 1905, became increasingly frustrated with his situation. He was expected
to pay for his office rent, heat, light, supplies, and any extra help. The
hours were long, and he worked without time off. In July of 1902, a fed-up Stratton met
with colleague D.H. McLean in nearby Emerson, Manitoba, and discovered that
McLean had similar problems. They called a meeting of postmasters from the
surrounding area, which led to the formation of The Manitoba and Northwest
Accounting Postmasters' Association. Stratton presented a petition, signed by
100 postmasters, to Postmaster General William Mulock, which led to a 10%
salary increase - the association's first victory. The Association grew to
include six provinces by 1906 and by 1910, all nine provinces were included.
After the Second World War, postmasters became full-time staff and received
civil service benefits of sick leave, vacation, and superannuation. In 1968,
the Association was granted collective bargaining rights. This association
became the CPAA in 1978. Presently, the CPAA is divided into eight branches,
representing Canada Post employees who work in rural post offices.
Approximately 6,700 full- and part-time employees and approximately 3,600 term
employees are members, staffing more than 3,500 post offices across Canada.
Designer Chris Candlish of Cambridge, Ontario took a historical approach to the
design of this stamp. The Provincial Archives of Manitoba provided a
black-and-white photo (taken c1910) of the Stonewall post office managed by
Stratton, to which Candlish added sepia toning. He also added a reproduction of
an original 2¢ Queen Victoria carmine stamp, which was used for the domestic
1st class rate and Empire rate in 1902, and a cancellation showing the date 'JL
06 1902,' the date Stratton met with McLean. The CPAA logo is also featured.
The unique layout of the 16-stamp pane includes three 8 mm gutters and a 16 mm inscription forming the
selvedge. The top left corner of the 2¢ stamp blends with the top inscription
and into the three gutters.

A new 2-cent stamp in carmine color was
issued to replace the purple 2- cent stamp of this series, upon exhaustion of
the stock of surcharged stamps. The decorative and symbolic use of the maple
leaves on the Diamond Jubilee commemorative and the regular issues of 1897 met
with instant public approval. However, the designers of the Maple Leaves issue
failed to give sufficient prominence to the denominations in words rather than
figures.

The purple 2- cent stamp #68

The new 2-cent stamp in carmine #77

As a result, the public was not able to
distinguish the face values quickly. The Post Office Department accordingly
modified the design and prepared a new issue of postage stamps. Portrait of Her
Majesty Queen Victoria, from a photograph by Messrs. W. & D. Downey,
London, England, and taken in 1897 for the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee.

In 1854 reduced postal rates between
Canada and the United Kingdom created a demand for two new denominations in
postage stamps; 10- pence and 7 ½-pence. The Postmaster General's Report of 31st
March, 1854, announced in part the reduction of postal rates affecting the
overseas mail to the United Kingdom. The mail of one-half ounce for each letter
sent by packet ships from Halifax was charged at the reduced rate of 6-pence
sterling equal to 7 ½-pence in currency. The rate was also reduced from
1-shilling and 2- pence sterling to 8-pence sterling on mail sent overseas by
way of the United States. When W.H. Griffin wrote to the security printers he
sketched a suggested design of the 10-penny stamps: "It would promote the
public convenience to procure postage stamps of the value of 10-pence and 7 ½
pence to correspond with the packet letter charges." While these
reductions were made in sterling the people in the Province of Canada were
being drastically restricted by the confusion of money with its varying degrees
of valuation. The Province of that time did not have a currency of its own.
Sterling was of higher value than the monetary exchange commonly referred to as
currency. For that reason, the new stamps in 10-pence has an additional
inscription of 8-pence stg (sterling). The 7 ½-pence stamps were inscribed
"Six Pence Sterling" in the oval frame of Queen Victoria's portrait.
Portrait of Queen Victoria from the Chalon painting similar to the 12- pence
stamps of 1851. Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Victoria reproduced from a
contemporary engraving of a full-length painting by Alfred Edward Chalon, R.A.
Although this work of art portrays the young Queen in her robes of state,
merely the head appears in various British colonial postage stamp designs,
including the 7 ½-pence for the Province of Canada. On the occasion of Queen
Victoria's first visit to the House of Lords, she commissioned Mr. Chalon to
paint this portrait as a gift to her mother, the Duchess of Kent. The memorable
event was the prorogation of Parliament on 17th July, 1837, the year of the
Queen's accession to the throne.

Until the middle of the 19th century, there
was no easy way for new Canadians to communicate with family and friends from
the old country. The transatlantic mails depended on slow and irregular sailing
ships, and post offices were few and far between. For most Canadian immigrants,
living on Canadian soil meant being completely cut off from the loved ones they
had left behind. Shipping magnates and business leaders Sir Samuel Cunard and
Sir Hugh Allan changed this by introducing transatlantic mail service via their
ocean-going steam vessels. In honour of these pioneers, Canada Post will issue
a se tenant pair of commemorative stamps featuring them on May 28, 2004.
Created by stamp design veterans Dennis Page and Oliver Hill of Page&Wood
in Halifax and veteran illustrator Bonnie Ross, the stamp has been created to
not only celebrate the two men, but also the 19th century milestone of fast,
regular transatlantic postal service. As such, the design depicts the growing
volume of mail that began to cross the Atlantic by steamship at this time.
Photographs of actual letters from these trips fill the lower portion of the
frame. Portraits of both Sir Samuel Cunard and Sir Hugh Allan, illustrated in a
popular formalized period style, present images of the two shipping magnates in
a heroic fashion. Images of the two ships, Cunard's Britannia and Allan's North
American, are depicted on route, as they determinedly brave the rough Atlantic
seas. The cancellation marks represent the dates of the arrival of Curnard's
Britannia in Halifax and the departure of Allan's North American from
Liverpool. According to Design Manager of Stamp Products Danielle Trottier,
"these commemoratives not only depict history, but are themselves a piece
of history in that they are part of Canada Post's first self-adhesive perforated
pane".

Merchant and shipowner Sir Samuel Cunard
was born in Halifax on November 21, 1787. He first partnered with his father in
the timber trade, and through his interests in whaling, timber, coal, iron and
shipping, he amassed a great personal fortune in the 1830s. In 1825, he
co-founded the Halifax Banking Company and in 1839, made a submission to the
British government to start regular transatlantic mail service by steamship
from Liverpool, England to Halifax, Quebec City and Boston, at a cost of 55,000 pounds a year,
for 10 years. The first crossing was made in May 1840, but regular mail service
began in July with the Britannia, a paddlewheel steamship which sailed from
Liverpool to Halifax and then on to Boston in a total of 14 days and 8 hours.

Sir Hugh Allan established a
transatlantic mail route between Canada and Britain in 1856. Allan was a
shipping magnate, railway developer and financier, born in Saltcoats, Scotland
on September 29, 1810. In
1826, he immigrated to Canada and settled in Montreal where he found a job as a
clerk in a commercial goods business. Ten years later, in 1836, backed by
family funding, he bought steamships and sailing ships to expand the company's
merchant fleet. Allan persuaded the Canadian government to finance the
transatlantic lines linking Montreal with Britain through contracts to carry
the mail (1853). But when the contract was awarded to Liverpool shipowners
McKean, McClary and Lamont, Allan considered them unqualified to handle the
work. In 1856 with improved ships, Allan managed to wrest the contract away
from his competitors.

Beginning in 1755, thousands of settlers
were deported from their native Acadia (Nova Scotia)
to the British colonies of North America. To mark
the 250th anniversary of the deportation, Canada Post will issue a single
domestic rate (50¢) commemorative stamp on August 15, Acadian National Day.
This is the second time Canada
has commemorated the Acadian deportation with a stamp. In 1930, the "Grand-Prי" stamp was
issued to mark its 175th anniversary. Danielle Trottier, Manager, Stamp Design
and Production at Canada Post, says the Stamp Advisory Committee proposed the
"stamp on stamp" concept for the issue. "This was such a
significant event in Canadian history, and particularly for the Acadian
community. We felt it would be fitting to showcase our previous commemorative
stamp in the new issue. Coincidentally, both stamps - from then and now - bear
the 50-cent rate." Canada Post commissioned graphic artist Pierre-Yves
Pelletier for the stamp design. A "seasoned pro" with 110 stamps to
his credit, Pelletier, of Beloeil,
Quebec, was excited and
challenged by the project. "The Acadian community, naturally, is sensitive
to its past and I wanted to pay tribute to their heritage and to what they have
been through." The original "Grand-Prי" stamp portrays the
famous statue of Evangeline and the Acadian chapel at Grand-Prי National Historic
Site. Pelletier scanned the mint condition 1930 stamp and illustrated the
Acadian flag in motion. A backdrop of waves, in a five per cent screen,
represents the sea voyage. "For me, the flag is the symbol and this is
what I focused on," explains Pelletier. The Acadian flag was established
at the Second Acadian Convention in 1884. It is a French flag - tricolour blue,
white, and red - with a gold star at the top left. The star, Stella Maris, is
the star of the sea and symbolizes the wanderings of the Acadians through the
storms and dangers of life. "It was important to keep the design simple
and clean. The colourful flag works well with the dark blue of the old stamp
and its perforated edges. The waves are in a very light screen so as not to
detract from the main element, which is the flag. The stamp on stamp was a good
idea for this issue."

As a result of the change of the postage
stamp contract of 1st April, 1930, the Department required a new series of
stamps of the higher denominations. The policy of depicting representative
phases of the character of Canada
was continued in the designs for this series. View of Grand Prי, Nova Scotia the home of Evangeline, heroine
of Longfellow's famous poem of that name. The view is a composite one, taken
from photographs, and shows the museum, statue of Evangeline, and the ancient
well, grouped together for pictorial effect. The grounds and buildings are
maintained as a national shrine of Acadian relics.

On January 10, 1910, Le Devoir founder
Henri Bourassa made a bold statement on the front page of the paper’s inaugural
edition. The independent Montréal-based daily’s headline proclaimed that
“to ensure the triumph of ideas over appetites, of the public good over
partisan interests, there is but one means: to awaken in people, and especially
in the ruling classes, a sense of public duty in all its forms.”

For the past 100 years, Le Devoir has
remained faithful to Bourassa’s mandate. The paper remains free of any
particular ideology or politic, and through its unwillingness to bow to power,
it has become the advocate of public ethics, social progress and the rights and
freedoms of everyday citizens. It has defended the French language throughout Canada and
chronicled the evolution of Québec’s culture. Le Devoir’s unwavering
commitment to journalistic excellence and integrity has transformed the
newspaper into an institution, with a reputation revered throughout the
Francophone world.

The commemorative envelope was designed
by Christian Tiffet, the artistic director for Le Devoir. “I wanted to create a
visual that would illustrate the strong presence Le Devoir has had in
Québec society for the past 100 years,” says Tiffet. The photographs
featured speak to the passage of time, from 1910 to today, and the ways in
which the institution has adapted to change. Tiffet explains, “Recent editions
of Le Devoir and its web page, its modern product, are featured alongside an
image of Le Devoir’s first publishing house, which, along with the lead
typography that runs across the top of the envelope, recall the institution’s
beginnings and evoke its long history.” The envelope also features Le Devoir’s
centennial logo, designed by Tiffet, and a Picture Postage™ stamp that
recreates the 1968 commemorative issued to honour Henri Bourassa.

As Le Devoir enters its second century
with new opportunities made possible by innovations in information technology,
it remains inspired by its founder’s values of liberty, equality, solidarity
and integrity. The only independent newspaper in Québec, Le Devoir is
free thinking defined.

Given Canada’s sometimes daunting
landscapes and often extreme weather, delivering the mail has, at times,
required a little ingenuity. These stamps honour Canada Post’s history and depict
the role of mail delivery in the development of our nation.

Thanks to Lou Guadagno

Scott: #2513O

Issued: 16.01.2012

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee
(Decade 1: 1952-1962)

Inside #2513: Canada #330

Scott: #2513O

Thanks to Prof. Plinio
Richelmi and to Lou Guadagno

The first of five Diamond Jubilee
four-stamp mini-panes, featuring a stamp-on-stamp design using The Queen's
Coronation stamp issued June 1, 1953.

Scott: #2514O

Issued: 06.02.2012

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee
(Decade 2: 1963-1972)

Inside #2514: Canada #471

Scott: #2514O

Thanks to Lloyd GilbertandProf. Plinio Richelmi

The second of five Diamond Jubilee
mini-panes of four stamps features a stamp-on-stamp design using the Queen's
Royal Visit stamp issued in 1967.

Scott: #2515O

Issued: 06.03.2012

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee
(Decade 3: 1973-1982)

Inside #2515: Canada #704O

Scott: #2515O

Thanks to Lloyd GilbertandProf. Plinio Richelmi

Scott: #2516O

Issued: 10.04.2012

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee
(Decade 4: 1983-1992)

Inside #2516: Canada #1168P

Thanks to Lloyd Gilbert

Scott: #2517O

Issued: 07.05.2012

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee
(Decade 5: 1993-2002)

Inside #2517: Canada #1932O

Scott: #2540O

Issued: 07.05.2012

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee

Inside #2540: Canada #62O

Inside #2540: Canada #340P

Scott: #????O

Scott: #2540aO

Thanks to Lloyd Gilbertand to Lou Guadagno

This souvenir sheet was inspired by the
design of the $2 Queen Elizabeth II stamp and features a magnified image of the
young Queen Elizabeth. The stamp features an image of a young Queen Elizabeth
II facing a more recent photograph of Her Majesty.

This year, the Queen celebrates her
Diamond Jubilee. This rare milestone was much-awaited by philatelists and
collectors. To mark 60 years of The Queen's reign, the Canada Post Diamond
Jubilee series offers stunning collectibles.

In 1897, the Post Office Department of the Government of Canada celebrated the
Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria—the
only other Monarch of Canada to achieve the 60-year milestone—with an engraved
stamp. The design featured a portrait of the young queen as well as one created
at the time of Queen Victoria’s
60th anniversary. This stamp remains a classic for collectors. This stamp
mirrors the design of the 1897 Queen Victoria
stamp. It’s engraved and printed in a similar purple colour, and features an
image of a young Queen Elizabeth II facing a more recent photograph of Her
Majesty.

The design of the souvenir sheet was
inspired by the stamp and features a magnified image of the young Queen
Elizabeth that highlights the craftsmanship that went into creating the
intricate design of the stamp.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen came to the throne on February
6, 1952. Her coronation took place on June 2, 1953.

Her Majesty celebrated her Silver
Jubilee (25 years) in 1977 and her Golden Jubilee (50 years) in 2002.

A Diamond Jubilee is a rare milestone.
Queen Elizabeth II is only the second British Monarch to reign for 60 years.
Her great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria—who celebrated her Diamond Jubilee
in 1897—was the first.